


The Glow of Home

by LeKeeton95



Series: The Glow of Home [1]
Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Couch Cuddles, Cuddling & Snuggling, Domestic Fluff, F/F, Fireplaces, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Sleepy Cuddles, Snow, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-20
Updated: 2018-01-20
Packaged: 2019-03-07 07:44:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13430136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeKeeton95/pseuds/LeKeeton95
Summary: Winter has hit Purgatory full force, and Nicole can feel the tiredness set deep in her bones after a week of pulling double shifts. She misses someone dearly, and all she wants is to be home with her.





	The Glow of Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kendrene](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kendrene/gifts).



> So this is being posted a lot later than intended, but I have a haywire work schedule, as fellow chefs will understand.
> 
> This is my first fic and I'm nervous as all hell. It's short by most standards, but I'm happy with it as a first go.
> 
> I'd like to thank the patience of my beautiful girlfriend, kendrene, who beta'd for me. She's a saint, and I ask far too many questions.
> 
> This is actually a gift to you, my dear, as you inspired the story.

Snow crunched underfoot as Nicole trudged towards the front porch of the Homestead, the only sound besides the rustle of leaves in the wind. Aches riddled her form as the last few days caught up with her. The PSD issue jacket barely kept the chill from her bones, her gloved hands buried deep in her pockets.

There was a soft, inviting glow emitting from the window, bringing a quirk of a smile to the deputy's frozen cheeks. Winters in Purgatory were vicious, the cold making a permanent home deep in your bones that even an inferno could never thaw. The crushing of snow gave way to the creaking of old wooden floorboards as Nicole battered the snow from her worn boots, finally removing her hands to brave the wind and twist the handle, stepping quickly into the orange glow of the front lounge.

Taking a moment to close her eyes and savour a gentle warmth enveloping her body, she released a deep sigh. In the room she could place the crackling of logs in the fireplace, the ticking of the clock from the kitchen, and the soft, soothing sound of calm. One last shiver racked her form as she opened her eyes and removed her boots at the front door, refusing to do the same with her jacket just yet. A quick glance brought her gaze to a mountain of blankets on the couch before the fire.

A warmth that even a fire couldn't bring to her filled her chest and chased the aches and pains from her bones as she made careful and quiet steps to kneel before the peacefully sleeping form on the couch, an orange cat curled against their chest, purring. Nicole brushed a wayward hair from Waverly's face, gently caressing her cheek as she enjoyed the quiet that only the Homestead seemed to be able to bring, despite it's dark past and the horrible stories hidden in the walls. The past didn't matter to Nicole, for the Homestead was just that, home, especially when shared with the woman sleeping in front of her, and even when said woman’s sister barrelled through the house.

Moving careful as not to disturb Waverly, Nicole stood and finally removed her jacket, hanging it on a hook beside the front door.

“Nicole?”

Cursing herself for disturbing her girlfriend, Nicole turned to the source of the sleepy enquiry. Waverly had moved to sit up, rubbing sleep from her eyes with a yawn. Calamity Jane stretched beside her, then jumped from the couch, probably to find a quieter place to sleep she thought with a smile.

“I'm sorry for waking you, love.” Nicole cooed, sitting softly beside her lover who was still blinking sleep from her eyes.

“What time is it?” asked Waverly.

“Late, I'm sorry, Nedley needed me to finish off paperwork before I could come home.”

Obviously happy with the reply, Waverly curled into Nicole's chest, tucking her face under Nicole's chin. The deputy leaned back into the cushions, pulling her girlfriend tighter to her, placing a soft kiss to her forehead. As silence fell for a few precious moments, Nicole could feel sleep pulling at her and she relaxed for the first time in days, allowing a deep sigh from between her lips.

“I made dinner, it's on the stove, I wasn't sure when you'd be home.” Waverly announced, her breath gliding a warm dance across her neck and chest. Guilt instantly filled Nicole, she'd felt the absence of her lover the last few days, pulling double shifts to aid the department in incidents brought on by the terrible weather. They'd barely seen each other, maybe an hour or two at most. Tears threatened to spill as Nicole took a shuddering breath.

“I'm so sorry."

The slouched form against her sat up at that, hazel eyes meeting brown.

“What for?” Waverly questioned, her brows furrowed.

“I haven't been home,” Nicole sighed, pain evident in her tone, “I haven't been here with you, I've been working too much."

Silence fell and Nicole looked away from her girlfriend, instead staring intently at the flames that danced in the fireplace, her thoughts a mess of emotions. A hand cupped her cheek and she automatically leaned into the touch, her thoughts falling quiet instantly with the contact.

“Nicole, look at me.” Waverly softly whispered, and Nicole did.

“You have nothing to be sorry for, you're the best deputy this town has and we've needed you with this horrible turn of the weather,” she continued, “don't you ever be sorry for doing your job."

A tear slipped down her cheek at her girlfriend's gentle words, and a thumb brushed the tear away. Soft lips pressing a kiss there instead.

“come on, baby, I made you a stew.”

Giving a tired nod Nicole stood with the aid of her girlfriend, blankets slipping to a mess on the floor, and they started towards the kitchen. Not one for cold, Waverly shivered at the loss of warmth, and Nicole wrapped her arm around her instantly. A smile graced her girlfriend's features, and warmth spread out from Nicole's chest at being the one to put it there.

Waverly guided Nicole to the kitchen where she sat at the table as she watched her partner move effortlessly around. The smell of food made Nicole's mouth water, and it was with that she realised just how hungry she was. A bowl was soon placed in front of her as Waverly took her place across, a bowl before her also.

“I'm guessing you haven't eaten today?” Waverly enquired softly with a smile. The redhead grimaced.

“I'm sorry, baby, I've just been so wrapped up."

Waverly's hand caressed her girlfriend’s as she softly shushed her.

“It's okay, my love, now eat, please?”

And Nicole did, the stew warm and delicious. She tried to eat like she wasn't a hungry, rabid wolf, but she must have been shovelling the food as a gentle laugh carried across the table. Nicole peered at Waverly.

“What?” she said, mouth slightly full.

Waverly merely shook her head, giggling to herself.

“You're just too precious, Nicky.”

Nicole blushed at that, attempting to slow her intake, but as soon as the bowl was empty Waverly was snatching it up and refilling.

Three helpings later Nicole leaned back with a sigh.

“That was delicious, Waves,” she grinned, “where would I be without you?”

“Still at work, probably,” the brunette laughed, her nose scrunching in the way Nicole adored, “and possibly a whole lot thinner."

“I adore you."

Waverly smiled softly at her lover, giggling at the sight of her eyes closing against her will.

“You must be exhausted, love, come on, relax by the fire with me a bit and warm up."

Taking Nicole's hands gently she pulled her from her chair and guided her back to the couch, where they eased into the pillows, wrapping themselves in blankets before the fire.

It was the little things that Nicole adored, like how Waverly just knew that Nicole could never go straight to bed right after a shift, needing time to relax and unwind.

Closing her eyes, Nicole curled against the warmth her girlfriend provided, as Waverly hummed a soothing tune, a hand caressing across Nicole's chest.

After a quiet moment, Waverly spoke.

“What do you love most about winter?”

Nicole's fingers brushed gently up and down Waverly's bicep as she thought for a moment.

“Snow, as dangerous as it can be," she finally answered after a brief moment, “when it's just settled and it glistens in the daylight, like a blanket across the ground."

Waverly hummed in agreement.

“What else?”

“Christmas lights, which reminds me, we should start taking them down soon.”

Waverly giggled beside her.

“Can you believe we celebrated our first Christmas together." Waverly carried wonder in it's tone, with a soft shake of her head.

“The happiest moment of my life this year." Nicole grinned, her arms wrapping tighter around her girlfriend.

And she really couldn't. Between chasing demons and filling out paperwork, and as much as Nicole loved her job, nothing compared to coming home to Waverly, nothing compared to knowing that Waverly loved her just as deeply as she loved Waverly. If someone had said to her this time last year that she'd be hunting the supernatural and finding her soulmate, she'd have thought them crazy, yet here she was. A lot has happened to them leading up to this point, things that could tear anything less than soulmates apart. But they'd pulled through together, stronger than ever, and for that Nicole could only thank whoever or whatever was listening.

“I get to put the angel on top next year though, Wynonna beat me to it this year.” Waverly's voice pierced through her train of thought. Nicole laughed softly at that.

“Yeah, don't worry, I'll lift you."

Waverly swatted at her arm playfully.

“I'm not _that_ short!” she cried indignantly.

“Of course not, sweetheart.” Nicole chuckled, before placing a chaste kiss to her girlfriend's lips.

They settled into silence once more. Until Waverly broke it.

“My mama always used to let me place the angel on the top, because I was her angel, it's one of the few memories I have of her.”

Nicole pulled Waverly tighter to her.

“Then you'll place the angel on top every year, I'll make sure of it.”

Nothing, Nicole decided, was better than seeing the beaming smile that graced Waverly’s face at that.

“What about you, baby?” Nicole then turned the question to her.

Waverly was pensive for a second, before smiling brightly.

“Other than Christmas lights and angels on trees, and of course snow, me and Wynonna would always bake cupcakes”

Nicole's already blooming respect for the elder Earp grew even more so at that. Despite everything, the deputy knew that Wynonna had always tried to do her best for her sister.

“She's good people.” Nicole agreed.

“She's the best of us.” Waverly nodded.

“Speaking of Wynonna, where is she?” Nicole inquired, finally taking the moment to realise the firecracker Earp wasn't at home.

“I'd asked her to let me have the house for the night,” Waverly grinned sheepishly, a blush colouring her cheeks, “with you being free of work tomorrow I'd wanted to just relax, me and you."

“That's so sweet, baby,” Nicole beamed, “but it also explains the look she threw me earlier in the day.”

Waverly laughed loud at that, the sound filling Nicole's chest to burst with joy. Waverly clutched tighter to her girlfriend.

“Just typical of her to make something of this, I did genuinely just want us to relax."

“She's probably out annoying Dolls or Doc.” Nicole mused with a grin, knowing how exasperated the aforementioned men would be with the heir trailing behind and annoying them.

Waverly hummed thoughtfully.

“Actually, I think they went out of town for an undercover mission, last I heard she was heading to Shorty’s, she even mentioned getting Jeremy wasted."

“Oh, God." Exclaimed Nicole, she was certainly glad she wasn't on call to deal with whatever trouble Wynonna managed to get her and the young agent into.

Silence fell once more and Nicole tried her hardest to stifle the yawn, but as she grew warmer and the fire crackled into dull embers, she knew it wouldn't be long before she was asleep.

“I think it's time for bed, don't you?” Waverly hummed.

Nicole could only nod her agreement as yet another yawn escape her, and Waverly stood to put out the fire.

She grasped Nicole's hand and pulled her to her feet, guiding her up the stairs and down the hall. Tiredness was wrapping around Nicole's bones and she allowed herself to be lead to her girlfriend's bedroom.

Made to perch on the edge of the bed while Waverly flipped the switch on the lamp, Nicole found the dark room bathed in a soft glow. Her girlfriend return to her and gently removed her shirt and bra, replacing them with a sleeping shirt. A soft voice then asked her to lift her hips, and once Nicole obliged and she was rid of the last of her uniform, Waverly helped her into the jogging bottoms, and a guiding hand pushed her back into the pillow, wrapping the duvet and blankets around her.

“I'll be back in a moment, baby, rest.” A kiss was placed on her forehead, then she watched as the figure left the room to head back downstairs. She closed her eyes and burrowed deeper into the warmth of the blankets. She's not sure how much time passed until her could hear footsteps approaching again. She peered from beneath the blankets, watching as the brunette readied herself for bed, the routine familiar for both of them now after nearly a year together.

At last Waverly turned, smiling at the brown eyes watching her softly from the bed. Arms then extended, silently asking for Waverly to join her, so she slipped beneath the covers and into the waiting arms of her love.

She pulled Nicole to her chest and the deputy snuggled into her.

“I love you more than you know.” a sleepy voice spoke, muffled slightly against Waverly's chest. Waverly stroked her girlfriend's hair, humming softly to sooth her to sleep.

“I love you so much, my love." Waverly cooed, brushing a kiss across her forehead. Nicole settled into her at that, her breath evening out slowly as she allowed herself to finally relax. Tomorrow she was free from work, able to rest with her girlfriend, her soulmate.

For now she could sleep.

For home wasn't Purgatory and it's snow filled scenery and rolling mountains.

Nor was it the Homestead with it's glowing fireplace and it's history and stories.

Home was the woman beside her, home was in her arms, her laugh, her eyes.

Waverly was the glow of home.

**Author's Note:**

> Wow, there we have it, my first fic.
> 
> Please feel free to let me know what you think.
> 
> You can follow me on Tumblr @spreadlove-showcompassion


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